Apparatus for the manufacture of laminated rubber sheeting



Aug 3 1926:.

W. C. STEVENS APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LAMINATED RUBBER SHEETI NG Original Filed April 22, 1920 WmQx/ zaenai wmnrarr c. s'rnvnn's, or arson, onro, assrenon no ran rrnns'ronn 'rrnn arm nun- BER CUMIEW, 1

MEMATUb IEQEt THE F AKRON, OHIU, A GORPORATION 01E OHIO.

UIEACTURE 0F LAMEFIA'JLED RUBBER SHEETJING.

implication filled April 22, 1920', Serial. Nos 375,757. ,Renewdd July 8, 1923.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming rubber stock or sheet rubber in laminated form for the purpose of manufacturing inner tubes or side walls for d pneumatic tires or for other purposes and is lid designed to increase the productiveness of the calendering apparatus by which the rubher is roller into sheets and furnish a better and more uniform rubber sheeting.

lit has been the practice heretofore to build up layers of rubber into a laminated sheet by calendering a thin sheet and rolling it in a liner. After the required length of sheet, usually fifty yards, has been rolled, the calm endering operation is stopped, the sheet of rubber cut and then run through the calender again in the opposite direction, a new layer of rubber being superposed on the first sheet. This is repeated as often as required,

it being the practice to lay up three or four plies of rubber in this manner, laminated rubber sheeting possessing advantages, due to the several plies, in the way of withstanding strains to which a tube is subjected.

It will be seen that the old method of manufacturing rubber sheeting possesses many disadvantages as the roll on which the sheeting is wound up with the liner has to be handled each timea new ply is laid up and the rubber must be threaded through the calender, an operation requiring skill and deftness of operation. lBy-the method which will be described the calendering and laying a up of the rubber sheetin is performed as a continuous operation unt1l' the required n m ber of plies have been laid up.

' lln the figure of the drawing is shown, somewhat diagrammatically, an apparatus for carrying out the process. Y

At the right of the figure, 1, 2, and 3 represent the calender rolls, the bank of rubber 19 being between the upper two rollers 1 and 2, the roll 3 being the one on which the rubber is laid on'the sheet. A continuous belt or sheet 4L passes around the lower roll 3, then over a guide roll 5 which is mounted on a frame-work 6, and

then back and forth over a plurality of rolls 7 for the distance required, the said rolls.

bein carried in the frame-work 6. Upon reac ing the top of the frame-work, the belt is led down over a large winding roll 8. 'lhis latter roll is slidably mounted in can riages 9 at the side of the-framework opposite the calender rolls and may be adjusted by threaded shafts 10 to take up slack in the belt.

From the roll 8 the belt passes up again lhe several rolls may bedriven in any preferred manner at the same speed as the calender rolls, gears, and sprockets, and sprocket'chains for this purpose being indicated by the dot-and-dash lines 14.

The hot sheet of rubber is attached to the belt by which it is supported and led through the apparatus to the roll 8 and back to the calender at which point a second sheet is laid on the first. The belt with the rubber attached to it is led around in the manner described until a sufficient number of plies have been laid up, when it is ready to be removed. This operation is performed by mountings take 0d roll resting against the rollers 8 on arms 16. .A liner roll 17 is supported in hanger 18, the liner passing from the roller 17 to the rubber and being wound up with it.

lt will be seen that by the use of the apparatus described a -multiple-ply rubber sheet may be laid up rapidly and efficientlyn During-the travel of the rubber through the apparatus'it becomes sufliciently cooled so that the succeeding rubber sheets may be laid up. a

The apparatus here shown permits of many modifications and alterations and such as fall within the scope of the invention are intended to be included in the claims.

I claim: I

' 1 An apparatus of the character set forth, comprising a set of calender rolls, a

framework, a plurality of guiding rolls on said framework, a winding roll, a belt passbit llld

rolls thereof, a frame adjacent said calconducting said belt over a zigzag path adender, and rollers journaled in said frame jacent said calender, and means cooperating adapted to support said belt for travel in a with said belt after it has traveled over said 19 zigzag path. zigzag path and before it returns to said 5 4. pparatus of the class described comcalen er for removing rubber sheeting from prising a calender, an endless belt passing said belt. between the lower rolls thereof, means for l WILLIAM G. STEVENS. 

